The Houston Rockets went into Denver and took down the Nuggets 115–101, snapping Denver’s six-game winning streak behind a vintage performance from Kevin Durant and a breakout showing from rookie guard Reed Sheppard. The win pushed Houston to 17–8 on the season and sent Denver to 20–7 in a matchup that felt like a statement from a rising contender.
Rockets Flip the Game After Slow Start
Denver came out firing and built a double-digit lead early, but Houston completely flipped the script over the middle quarters. The Rockets outscored the Nuggets 62–42 in the second and third, turning a 12-point deficit into a comfortable lead by the time the fourth quarter rolled around.
Houston’s offense was locked in all night. The Rockets shot 50.6% from the field and a blistering 54.3% from three, consistently generating quality looks through drive-and-kick action and smart spacing. Even with 19 turnovers, Houston’s efficiency and shot-making were enough to control the game once they seized momentum.
Kevin Durant Sets the Tone
Kevin Durant was the best player on the floor and set the tone for Houston on both ends. He finished with 31 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting 8-of-14 from the field, 5-of-6 from three and 10-of-11 at the free throw line in an ultra-efficient scoring night.
Durant repeatedly punished Denver’s switching defense, getting to his spots in the midrange, drawing help and creating open looks for his teammates. Any time the Nuggets threatened to make a run, Durant responded with timely buckets or playmaking that settled the Rockets’ offense.
Reed Sheppard’s Third-Quarter Explosion
If Durant was the anchor, Reed Sheppard was the spark. The rookie guard put together one of the most impressive stretches of his young career, finishing with 28 points, 6 assists and 3 steals on 9-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
The defining moment came in the third quarter, when Sheppard closed the frame by scoring 11 straight points for Houston. That flurry included multiple deep threes and a transition dunk off a steal that completely deflated Denver’s home crowd and stretched the Rockets’ lead into double digits. From that point on, the Nuggets were chasing the game and never truly recovered.
Help From the Supporting Cast
The Rockets’ supporting cast did its job and then some. Jabari Smith Jr. delivered a strong two-way performance with 22 points and 10 rebounds, giving Houston physicality on the glass and versatility on defense. Alperen Sengun’s stat line was quieter—8 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists with 5 turnovers—but his passing and screening still helped unlock Houston’s offense at key moments.
As a team, the Rockets won the rebounding battle 47–39 and drilled 19 three-pointers compared to Denver’s 13, a major swing in a game where shot quality and spacing mattered. Houston’s ability to stretch the floor forced Denver into tough closeouts and created driving lanes all night.
Nuggets Struggle to Keep Pace
On the Denver side, Nikola Jokic posted a solid but not dominant line by his standards, finishing with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 9-of-20 and committing 5 turnovers. Houston threw length and timely double-teams at him, making every touch a grind. Jamal Murray added 16 points and 7 assists, but he and the rest of the Nuggets’ perimeter players struggled to consistently knock down shots from deep.
Denver finished the night shooting just 40.2% from the field and 27.6% from three, numbers that made it almost impossible to keep up once Houston’s offense got rolling. The loss snapped the Nuggets’ six-game winning streak and served as a reminder that even elite teams can be exposed when opponents combine hot shooting with disciplined game-planning.
What This Win Means for Houston
For Houston, this was more than just another regular-season victory. Beating a top Western Conference team on the road, snapping a long winning streak and doing it behind a blend of veteran star power and rookie emergence says a lot about where this group is headed.
Durant continues to show he can still be a primary engine for a contender, while Reed Sheppard’s rise gives the Rockets a dynamic young guard who can change games with his shot-making and energy. If Houston can bottle this mix of efficiency, toughness and depth, this win in Denver might be remembered as one of the nights that signaled the Rockets’ arrival as a serious threat in the West.
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